An art gallery in St Albans has conducted a survey into people’s spending habits to help them launch a new way to buy art online.

The Gallery Rouge survey found that the average British citizen will spend £1,000 on spur-of-the-moment purchases per year, with nearly 60 per cent of people admitting to five impulse buys per week, which amounts to 260 a year.

The gallery’s research has led to them creating an app called Visualiser, which enables customers to see a 3D model of the art in their home before they buy, so they can make sure it will fit in their home.

Gallery Rouge managing director Kuldip Chohan, said: “There is a growing comfort in buying more valuable objects online. Our aim is to help people buy with confidence and helping someone visualise the artwork on their walls in real time and real size is a massive plus.

“Nothing beats seeing artwork in the flesh. What Visualiser does is allow individuals who may not be close to the gallery stocking the piece to ‘try before you by’.

“We’re reducing the risk of getting it wrong, and the resulting buyer remorse. If you spend £1,000 on a piece of artwork, you want to make sure it works in your space.”